DuckDB is a fast, serverless, C++ written tool that enables efficient vectorized data processing on columns, ideal for aggregates and large datasets. It outperforms traditional transactional databases, like SQLite, in tasks like calculating averages, medians, sums, and grouping data. DuckDB is a great alternative to pandas for handling large volumes of data without hitting memory limits. Moreover, DuckDB supports direct querying of Parquet, CSV, and JSON files, providing a faster and more powerful solution for data science tasks compared to using basic tools like dictionaries.